A Norwich animal activist with muscular dystrophy has urged a US university to shut down its lab which researches into the disease.

Eastern Daily Press: Johnathon Byrne, Norwich animal activist with muscular dystrophy, speaking to police outside a US university which uses dogs for research.Johnathon Byrne, Norwich animal activist with muscular dystrophy, speaking to police outside a US university which uses dogs for research. (Image: Archant)

The lab, at Texas A&M University (TAMU), uses dogs for its research.

Earlier this month, Johnathon Byrne flew to the US to condemn the lab and confronted TAMU president Michael Young.

He carried a banner showing an image from a billboard used by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

PETA US senior vice-president Kathy Guillermo said: 'For nearly four decades, an experimenter at TAMU has been tormenting dogs out of view of the public, with no cure or successful treatment for human MD patients in sight. PETA is joining forces with Johnathon Byrne to call for an end to these horrible experiments on sensitive dogs.'

TAMU said that the dogs are 'already affected by the disease' and are 'treated with the utmost respect and exceptional care'.